Returning Home (JA)

Hi everyone! This is a really short story that I wrote a couple of weeks ago and decided to post here. I'm gonna break it in half (yeah, it's that short) and post half today and half tomorrow. I'd post it all at once but I've noticed that people here tend to not like posts that are too long, for some reason. Believe me, I'm the exact opposite, I love it when people post a lot!

Anyway, I hope someone enjoys this!

BTW...I'm dedicating this to all you mush-lovers out there, I hope you like it!

Title: Returning Home
Author: Erika
Rating: PG
Summary: After an almost disastrous mission, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan return home and share some time together.
Time Frame: Aside from the fact that it takes place after all of the JA books so far, it doesn't really matter?but I guess if you have to know Obi-Wan is 17.
Spoilers: Maybe, if there are, they are for JA.
Category: Angst, H/C, NON-SLASH, and MUSH ALERT!!!!!!!!
Disclaimers: The Star Wars universe and all of its characters belong to George Lucas, I'm only borrowing them to have a little fun and I promise to return them unharmed (well, at least mostly unharmed). I'm making no money off of this and this is written for entertainment purposes only.
Feedback: Do you even have to ask????
Special Thanks To: My beta reader, Adi-Ser, thanks soooooo very much, I really appreciate it!

Things in <>'s are <telepathic> communication through the Master/Padawan bond.

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Returning Home
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Obi-Wan Kenobi stood at the doorway of his room, looking around as if it were some foreign place, a place not his own. It had been almost an entire year since the last time he and his Master had been at the Temple. Their last mission had been so unexpectedly grueling that Obi-Wan found that even the familiarity of their quarters could not make him feel quite as relaxed as they once had. He sighed heavily as he entered his room and set his pack down on his bed. Despite the fact that things seemed different he was still weak from the incident on Treilkeis and it was good to be back.

"Glad to be back?" Obi-Wan heard Qui-Gon ask from behind him and turned around to see his Master standing in the doorway, leaning slightly against the frame.

Obi-Wan looked down, "Yes, Master," he said softly. Qui-Gon was known for being one of those Jedi Masters that lived 'in the field' and they hardly ever actually spent time at the Temple. Obi-Wan loved being his Padawan and wouldn't trade his place in Qui-Gon's life for anything in the galaxy. Yet, he missed his friends and often found himself wishing his Master wouldn't always take every mission the Council offered him. Obi-Wan however, didn't want his Master to think he didn't enjoy their missions together and therefore never said anything. He didn't want to disappoint him.

Hearing a regretful sigh from his Master, Obi-Wan realized that his relief and exhaustion must have been evident in his voice and quickly began to apologize. "I'm sorry?Mas-"

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon cut him off, "don't. I know it has been hard for you, always running around from one end of the galaxy to the other, and I'm sorry. We are home now, Padawan, and I have requested that the Council not send us on any missions for the next two months. We both need time to recuperate our energy, especially after what happened on Treilkeis. I?I want to spend some time with you that doesn't involve diplomatic negotiations, or trying to prevent a planet from going to war."

Obi-Wan was so surprised and happy that he didn't know what to say. He was pleased that he would finally get some time off and hopefully be able to see some of his old friends, but, he was even more thrilled that Qui-Gon actually wanted to spend time with him. It shocked him, really. Qui-Gon had never before suggested anything of the sort, and the only time they had actually been together when not a mission was when he had been on probation. Obi-Wan smiled tentatively and looked up at his Master, still speechless.

"Oh, Padawan?is it truly so surprising that I want to spe

 

Did you post this on a list Erika? Sounds familiar. But all good stories are worth at second read! Please post the second half soon!!!! Nice work!

 

I like long posts!

But this way I guess there's longer for ppl to read the posts before it disappears.

 

Hi Obi!

Yes, I did post this on a list (the JA one on yahoo) and you might remember it 'cause I mentioned that your story "Denial", in some way or another (who knows how the mind words!), inspired this story. I was reading "Denial" when a light bulb went off over my head and I went 'that's a good idea!'

I'm glad you like it, even the second time around!

 

Okay, here's the rest!

After dinner Obi-Wan helped Qui-Gon clean the table and wash the dishes and then prepared to go to sleep early. Despite his weariness, he felt happier than he had ever remembered feel-ing. Qui-Gon was finally treating his as more than just his apprentice, he was showing his Padawan the kindness of a friend and even seemed to be opening up to him a little bit. All of this made the boy extremely content and happy.

He had always wanted to be close to his Master, but it seemed that whenever they got *too* close, Qui-Gon would push him away. Now it was Qui-Gon who was drawing Obi-Wan in, and that made all the difference in the world to the seventeen-year-old boy who longed to prove himself to his Master.

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon called from the entrance on the boy's room.

Obi-Wan turned around and gave the man a shy half-smile before responding, "Yes, Master?"

"Going to bed already?"

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan paused for a moment before he jumped into explaining himself, "It was a long flight home and I am very tired?"

For the third time that night, Qui-Gon interrupted his Padawan before he could get carried away in his explanations and apologies, "Obi-Wan?Padawan, I was merely asking. I know that you are tired and I know that you are still weak from the wounds you suffered on our last mission. You don't need to explain it to me. It does not make you weak; it only makes you mortal, just like everyone else. Jedi are not infallible and we, just like everyone else, need to take some time off every once in a while too."

Obi-Wan nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Would you like me to tuck you in, Padawan?"

The Padawan's mouth practically fell open at his Master's offer. It had been *years* since he had been 'tucked in' by anyone, and the last time had been when he was a small child in the crèche. *Qui-Gon*, his Master, had certainly never 'tucked him in'. Instead of making Obi-Wan feel like a small child again, the offer filled the boy with a rush of pleasure. "I-I would like that very much, Master," he said timidly.

"Alright, then call me when you are ready to go to sleep," Qui-Gon said as he turned to leave the room.

Afraid that the spell that had been cast over his Master would somehow vanish, leaving the cold man he had grown to know so well, Obi-Wan almost frantically called after him, "Wait!"

Concerned, Qui-Gon immediately turned and approached his Padawan, "Yes, Obi-Wan, is something wrong?"

The boy immediately shook his head no, "No, Master, don't?don't go."

"Are you ready now?"

Obi-Wan looked around the room. He had planned to do a couple of other things before going to bed, but he was almost afraid to let this offer go. Being tucked in by someone might not seem like a big deal to someone else, but to Obi-Wan it meant that his Master cared about him, and that was more important to the boy than anything else could be. "Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon nodded and gestured for the boy to get in his bed and smiled at the eagerness with which the boy so hastily complied. "Slow down, Obi-Wan, I'm not going anywhere," he said, seating himself on the side of the boy's bed once it was obvious that Obi-Wan was comfortably settled under the halfway drawn-up covers.

The boy was startled, again, when his Master reached out with a gentle hand and caressed his cheek softly. Before Qui-Gon could draw his hand away, Obi-Wan grabbed it and suddenly blurted out, "Master, can I ask you a question?" Recently the boy had been very shy with his Master, but the way in which his Master had treated him that night made him bold and longed to know the answer to his question.

"Of course," Qui-Gon said, gently squeezing the hand that had taken his own, "you can always ask me questions, and talk to me, never feel that you cannot."

"I?I was wondering...were you scared on Treilkeis?"

Although he didn't show it, and to Obi-Wan his expression was all but unreadable, Qui-Gon was surprised by this question. His first reaction was to remind Obi-Wan that fear lead to the dar

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

 

That was very beautiful. I love how Obi was startled every time Qui was nice and when they finally shared their feelings--Ahhhhhhh